Jeff Kolkey writes about issues, trends and public safety in Rockford and Winnebago County.

Deterring crime goal of new Rockford parole program

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By Jeff Kolkey

Jeff Kolkey writes about issues and trends in Rockford and Winnebago County. He also covers major breaking crime and fire news, notable criminal trials and the trends beyond the headlines that shape the region. A graduate of Northern Illinois
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Jeff Kolkey writes about issues and trends in Rockford and Winnebago County. He also covers major breaking crime and fire news, notable criminal trials and the trends beyond the headlines that shape the region. A graduate of Northern Illinois University, Kolkey lives in Rockford with his family. He has covered education, the city of Rockford and other beats for the Rockford Register Star since October 2005.

Recognizing that arresting criminals isn’t the only way to deter crime, the Rockford Police Department is working to establish a new "Parole Call-In" program this spring.

Lt. Marc Welsh said the three-part ‘call in’ will target parolees living in Rockford after serving time for violent offences.

They would be required to attend a program in a classroom setting of 15 to 20 participants who would be encouraged to avoid crime, warned about the dangers of parole revocation and given access to social services.

"We will sit them down and they will get a message from several parts of the community," Welsh said. "They will hear the moral voice of the community - ministers, clergy, pastors or maybe a suspect who has turned his life around, maybe somebody who was the victim of a crime – and they will get a message that we are not going to tolerate this."

There are about 900 parolees living in Rockford and they are disproportionately involved with crime, either directly or peripherally, as a witness, victim or suspect, Welsh said. Rockford police arrested 307 people who were on parole for a variety of offenses last year.

The Rockford program would be modeled on similar efforts that have been tried in other parts of the country.

In addition to a community representative, the parolees would talk with law enforcement officials who will warn them about the further possible consequences of recidivism and social service providers who will work with parolees to address underlying issues associated with crime including alcoholism, drug abuse and joblessness.

The planned program would team the Rockford Police Department, Winnebago County State’s Attorney, the Illinois Department of Corrections and Rockford Human Services among others. Welsh said the goal is to roll out the new program in March.